GPL & source modification copyright, attributions
I've been having a hard time finding answers to the following GPL
questions (can anyone here help?) :
I write a piece of software from scratch and release it under the GPL.
At the top of my source files, I have a standard copyright notice:
Copyright (C) 2005 Derek Haines
(as well as the GPL notice).
If someone (e.g. John Smith) modifies a source file by adding or
changing lines of code, do they and/or should they then add a
copyright notice:
Copyright (C) 2005 John Smith
in addition to my original copyright notice? (Making
Copyright (C) 2005 Derek Haines
Copyright (C) 2005 John Smith
or some variant available in the same file).
Can they remove my original copyright notice? The wording on
modifcations in the GPL (section 2) doesn't say you can't remove the
original copyright notice, just that you must add that you changed the
file and keep references to the license, and through its reference to
section 1 that you have an "appropriate copyright notice". The
definition in section 0 of "work based on the program" as in part "any
derivative work under copyright law" may protect against someone
removing the original copyright, if there's a provision in the law
against removing copyright notices. Is there any protection against
removing prior copyright notices?
I assume on the modified file I have copyright on the portions that
are still mine and they have copyright on the portions (modifications)
that are theirs. (Still all covered under the GPL). Is that correct?
If so, does that protect against someone removing the original
copyright notice (through general copyright law, whatever that is) ?
Thanks,
Derek
(If this isn't the right place for these questions, let me know. I'm
also having a hard time finding a place to ask these kinds of
questions).
Reply to: